Antibacklash mechanism for rolling-mill trains



Feb. 3, 1931. I 1,790,697

ANTIBACKLASH MECHANISM FOR ROLLING-MILL TR AINS Filed Jar 25, 1930 INVENTEIR @W W HTTEIRNEY Patented Feb. 3, v1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PETE CAPITO, OF WEIRTON, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THOMAS L. SATTARELLI, 0F WEIRTON, WEST VIRGINIA ANTIBACKLASH MECHANISM FOR ROLLING-MILL TRAINS Application filed January 25, 1930. Serial No. 423,484.

This invention relates to anti-backlash mechanism for rolling mill trains, and it has for its object to provide an apparatus by means of which is materially, if not wholly,

" prevented the objectionable tendency on the part of the rolls of certain of the alined mills of a rolling mill-train to chatter and whip about when heavy pieces of metal are being passed through other mills of the train.

As is well known to those familiar with the-art, in rolling mill trains embodying four or more mills joined as ordinarily by means of spindles having their ends coupled by collars to the wabbles of the lower rolls of said mills, much trouble is experienced on account of the whipping about and chattering, commonl termed backlash, of the rolls of those mills of the train which are employed as finishing mills, usually located remote from the engine, or driving mechanism. Those mills of the train located more or less closely adjacent to the driving mechanismthat is, the first two or three mills are usually employed as roughing mills, whereas those mills of the train located more remotely from the driving mechanism are usually employed as finishing mills, though,

as is well known, this arrangement may be varied. The vibration and shocks which result, from passing heavy material through the roughing mills are communicated in a greatly aggravated, intensified, or augmented degree or form to the finishing mills, setting up in the latter violent chattering and vibrating movements,.or backlash, which seriously impairs the finishing action thereof, resulting in the sheets of metal acted upon by the rolls of said finishing mills being marred, if not, actually ruined.

As herei before stated, it is the object of the present invention to provide a mechanism whereby the objectionable backlash in the finishing mills of a roll train is practically eliminated.

In describing the invention in detail,reference is herein had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is mill train embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a view of the invention, partly a top plan view of a rollingin front elevation and partly in section, showing the same introduced between a rou 'hmg mlll and a fimshmg mill;

Iigure 3 is a sectional elevation on line 33, Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a section on line H, Fig. 3;

Figures 5 and 6 are enlarged views in side elevation and top plan, respectively, of the cap-plate; and

Figures 7 and 8 are views in top plan and end elevation, respectively, of the top brass, or rider block.

Referring to said drawings, the reference numerals 1, 2 and 3 designate generally roughingmills and 4 a finishing mill, said mills being arranged in a train and adapted to be driven by any suitable power mechanism, as an engine 5. Interposed in the train between the roughing mill 3 and the finishing mill 4 is the anti-backlash mechanism which constitutes the present invention, the same comprising a lower roll 6 and an upper roll 7 journaled in housings 8.

The housings of said anti-backlash mechanism may be identical with those employed in the various mills in the train, as may also the upper roll 7 be identical with the rolls of said mills; or, a worn-out mill roll may be utilized as the upper roll of said mechanism. The lower roll 6 of said mechanism has the usual form of roll necks 9, but, instead of being provided with the usual roll wabbles through which connection might be made with the alined lower rolls of adjacent mills, said roll 6 has formed integral therewith at each of its opposite ends a long stem 10 having on its end a wabble of the usual form adapted to be directly connected by a collar 12 to the wabble of the lower roll of the adjacent mill. Otherwise expressed, the stems 10 directly connect to the lower rolls of adjacent mills without the interposition of the usual spindles 13 by means of which the lower rolls of adjacent mills of the train are coupled. Thus, the roll 6 is at all times -mills arranged in a train, and, therefore, is

not so readily caused to move about or chat- -ter by 'ri y mounted uprightposts: 16, each' of w ich is encircled by a heavy spiral spring 17; and superposed on said springs is a cap plate 18 having therein holes 19 through which extend the upper ends of said posts.

' A boss 20 formed centrally on the upper face of said ea plate has therein a socket 21 adapted or receiving in seated Y relation thereto the lower end of a screw 22 which is mounted in the housing. -Said screws 22 are adapted for manipulation to effect adjustv ment of the tension placed upon the springs 17, thus to regulate the pressure exerted by the upper roll 7 upon the lower roll 6. Said springs when placed under heavy, compres- S1011 serve in the capacity of shock absorbers, tending to steady the rolls 6 and 7 and, consequently, to prevent transmission to the finishing mill or mills of movements set up in the rolls of the roughing mills by passage through the latter of heavy pieces of metal and which movements would otherwise be translated into the objectionable backlash pled roughing and finishing mills, an antisaid roughing mills and said finishing mills, said mechanism comprising roll housings,

backlash mechanism introduced between upper'and lower rolls jounaled in said housings, the lower roll having integral stems at its opposite ends adapted to be coupled directly to the mills at opposite sides thereof, bearing blocks seated upon the necks ofsald upper roll, springs mounted on said blocks, cap plates mounted onsaid springs, and adjusting means whereby varying pressures may bev applied'to' said cap plates for regulating the steadying pressure applied to said lower roll through said upperroll.

In testimony whereof,-I ailix my signature.

\ PETE OAPITO.

tothe finishing mill rolls hereinbefore referred to.

In practice, not only do the tension springs 17 act effectively to absorb shocks transmitted to and through the rolls 6 and 7, and thus to exert upon the roll 6 a steadying force for preventing the transmission to the rolls of the finishing mills of violent shocks which would tend to produce chattering of said rolls, but, as hereinbefore explained, the relatively reduced. flexibility between said roll 6 and the thereto-adjacent mills resulting from the provision of integral stems 10 renders said roll less liable to be afiected by and, therefore,' to transmit such shocks, or vibratory movements.

What is claimed is 1. In a rolling mill train embodying coupled roug and finishing mills, an antiacklash m anism introduced between said rou mills and said mills, said mec amsm comprising roll housmis, upper and lower rolls ]ournalled in said ouslngs,

the lower roll having integral stems at its pled-roughingand finishing mills, an antiacklash mechanism introduced between sa d roughing mills and said finishing mills, said mechamsm' comprising roll housings,

upper andlower rolls journaled in said housings," the lower roll having integral 

